Death Wooed Us – Donna J. Wan

“Death Wooed Us” – the latest series of Donna J. Wan is one of the most beautiful and impressive workI have seen in recent times. The work is dedicated to “suicide destinations” and deals with questions of personal development and identity and also trying somehow to understand why humans sometimes follow this path. Suicides almost never seem to make sense. The very personal work brings the subject close to the observer.

‘Suicide is a difficult topic to talk about. Most try to avoid it. Yet some of us have personally experienced despair so great that we have thought about it as an option. We have also known others who have tragically succumbed to it. In 2011 after the birth of my daughter I developed a severe case of postpartum depression and considered taking my own life. I imagined I would drive to the California coast where I could look at the magnificent ocean and then jump off a cliff. Since then I have recovered,and learned that many suicidal people have similar inclinations: they travel near or far to well-known or obscure natural places to end their lives. Often these places are near water, mountains or valleys. There is even a term for such places – “suicide destinations.” ‘ – Donna J. Wan